Dexmedetomidine decreases the emergence agitation in infant patients undergoing cleft palate repair surgery after general anesthesia

BACKGROUND: To determine whether continuous intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine (DEX) can affect the incidence of Emergence Agitation (EA) after general anesthesia in infant undergoing cleft palate repair surgery. METHODS: Forty infants underwent cleft palate repair surgery under general anesthesia were randomly divided into the DEX (D) group and Placebo (P) groups. Patients in group D received continuous intravenous infusion of DEX 0.8 μg · kg-1 · min-1 after the induction. Patients in group P were administered with continuous intravenous infusion of the equivalent volume of normal saline. Both groups were induced with fentanyl 0.005 mg/Kg, propofol 2 mg/Kg and cisatracurium 0.2 mg/Kg. Anaesthesia was maintained with continuous intravenous infusion of propofol (2 mg/Kg · h), remifentanil (0.1 μg/Kg · h), and inhalation of 1 to 3 % sevoflurane. RESULT: The heart rate (HR) in group P was significant higher than that in group D at the time of operation (P < 0.05), postoperative 15 min, 30 min and the time of extubation (P < 0.01). The mean arterial pressure (MAP) in group P was higher comparing with MAP in group D at the time of extubation (P < 0.05). The spontaneous eye opening times and spontaneous arm or leg motion times were longer in group D (P < 0.05). The mean agitation scores of patients in group D were significantly lower than that in group P (P < 0.01). However, the incidence of EA in group P and group D was 90 % and 15 % (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The continuous intravenous infusion of DEX after induction could significantly reduce the occurrence of EA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-TRC-13003865